Apparatus for and method of developing high voltage direct current supply



May 19, 1931. C s, w s 1,805,679

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF DEVELOPING A HIGH VOLTAGE DIRECT CURRENT SUPPLY Filed Aug. 31, 1928 1 N VEN TOR CHARLES S. WILLIAMS B j ATTORNEY Patented May 19, 1931 l UNITED STATES! PATENT OFFICE CHARLES s. WILLI MS, 0F KiNGs'rON, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIcNOR T0 ELECTBICYSEBV- ICE SUPPLIES COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA APPARATUS FOR- AND METHOD OF DEVELOPING HIGH VOLTAGE DIRECT CURRENT SUPPLY Application filed August 31, 1928. Serial No. 303,133.

This invention relates to improvements in electric generators of the direct current type such as are used to furnish current for 1000- ply to the amplifiers of the various automatic.

train control and train sto systems now in use has been. developed y a dynamotor driven by the'headlight generator. For ordinary locomotive head-lighting, train .light-;

ing and the like, turbo-generators have been used which generate direct current at 32 volts. In order, however, to supply the plate circuit of the train control and train stop systems with direct current at 300 or more volts, it has been necessary to employ a high voltage battery or a dynamotor which is driven by the turbo-generator More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide the headlight generator with an auxiliary set of current collecting rings electrically associated with the generator commutator in such manner as to permit an alternating current to be collected from the direct currentarmature of thegenerator, in combination" with means for increasing the alternating current voltage so obtained for subsequent rectification for use in connection with various automatic train control, train stop and locomotive and train communication systems.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully and which. operates to convert the 32 volts generated by.

hereinafter, it being understood that the in-. vention consists substantially in the com: bination, construction, location andrelative arrangement of parts, all as will appear more fully hereinafter, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and as finally pointed out in the appended claims.

is generally known as the two-speed, single element, continuous, inductive, automatic train control system. It will, of course, be

understood that the present invention is ap plicable to any type of train control or communication system and is not limited to the particular systemherein shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrat ing the present invention as embodied in the locomotive circuit of one form of train control system, the arrangement shown being adapted to give half wave rectification of the alternating current voltage;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a somewhat modified form of the present invention for obtaining full-wave instead of half-wave rectification of the stepped-up alternating current voltage; and

Figures 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views showing respectively the locations atwhich connections to the current collecting rings are made for commutators of two and four pole armatures. A

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figure 1 thereof, it will be seen that I have shown my invention as being incorporated in that form oftrain control system known as the twospeed, single element, continuous, inductive, automatic train con-V trol. Inasmuch as the principles of this system are more or less well known in the art,

The invention has been shown and described, for purposes of lllustration only, in connection with what includes the tubes 10 and 11. In response to V energization of the track receiver 12, the out;

put from the second stageamplifyingtube 11 is delivered to the primary of the trans former 13 The alternating current which is delivered from the secondary of thistransformer 13 is rectified by a rectifier designated generally by the reference numeral 14, the

has been the more or less usual practice to' supply the plate circuit of the amplifier by rent armatureofthe turbo-generator, this means of a dynamotor driven by the headlight generator. In some instances, the relatively high voltage for the amplifier plate circuits was supplied from a high voltage battery. It is the purpose of this invention to replace the heretofore used dynamotors and high voltage batteries by a high voltage direct current source which is obtained from the direct ourgenerator beingthat which is'ordinarily employed for supplying the necessary energy for locomotivehead lighting, train lighting and the like. v In. order that this purpose may be accomplished, I have provided the usual turbo-generator designated generally by the reference numeral 16 with a pair of auxiliarycurrent collectingrings 17. These currentcollecting rings 17 are suitably mounted upon the armature shaft 18, said rings being insulated from ithe'shaft and from each other. Th-ecommutator 19 is also carried upon the shaft- 18 in'the usual manner, thecur rent collecting rings 17 being. arranged adjacent the outer end of the commutator. Y

Figures 3 and- 4 show in diagrammatic manner the connections between the collector rings 17 and the commutator segments 19. In the case of; a two pole generator, the collector rings 17 are connected to segments of the commutator 19 arranged .180 degrees apart as measured about the circumference of the commutator (see Fig. 3). In the case of a four pole generator, the current collecting rings 17 are electrically connected to segments of the commutator arranged 90 degrees apart as measured about the circumference of the commutator (see Fig.4). The turbo-genera tor 16 when so equipped with a commutator 1 9 and the current collecting rings '17 is capable of generating a direct current .Yo'ltageand an alternating currentvoltagef In steam train operation, the direct current voltage is ordinarily 32 volts as measured acrossthe- As has altrical engagement with the current collecting rings 17 are the conductors 22, these conduc tors 22 being in turn connected to the'primary terminals of a high impedance step-up transformer 23. One terminal of the' secondary coil of the transformer is connected to the common wire C of the amplifier, while the opposite terminal-of the secondary coil of the transformer 23 is connected to the anode of a rectifying tube 24, in this instance a half wave non-filament rectifying tube. It-

Will, of course,be understood that any other suitable type of rectifier may be employed. The cathode of the rectifier 24 is in turn connected. to the plate. reactors 25. of the amplifier. Preferably, a condenser 26- is connected, across the leads on the load side of-the recti-- fier 24 to smooth out the direct current. If. desired, a suitable reactance (not shown) may be employed in connection with the condenser 26' for straightening out the direct current.

From the" foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided an. arrangement whereby alternating current may-be collectedfmni the direct current armature of aturbo-generator, the alternating current voltage sopobtained being increased through thejstepf-up transformer 23; for subsequent rectification by means of the rectifier 24. It will be; obfserved that boththe primary and secondary coils of the transformer 23 are provided with suitable tapsfor varying the range of the direct current voltage supply for the plate circuit of the amplifier. By 'means of these taps, it is possible to obtaina plate circuit.

supply the range, of which varies between 125 and 450 direct currentivolts;

: Should it. be desired to obtain full wave rectification in placenof the half wave recs tification hereinbefore described, it" becomes. merely necessary to substitute for the half Wave rectifying tube shown in Figure 1 the full wave rectifying tube 27 shown'in Figure 2. In the latter instance, the rectifier is. provided with two anodeswhich are respectively connected to the secondary terminals of the transformer 23. J The cathode of the full Wave rectifier 27 is connected to theplate, reactors of the amplifier exactly as in the.

former instance. Thecommon wire'of the amplifier 1s, however,1n th1s msta-nce" con nected to the mid-point of the. transformer:

secondary (see Figure 2) As in the arrange.- ment shown in Figure 1, a'condenser is preferably shunted acrossv thewires: respectively leading to the plate reactors and to the com,

mon wire C of the amplifier, this condenser being arranged on the load side'of the rec ti-fier; Asuitable reactance (not shown).

be employed for straightening out the direct current.

It will be observed that in both of the arrangements hereinbefore described, the direct current voltage supply which is delivered by the commutator 19 of the headlight generator is not interfered with in any manner, the result being that there is simultaneously obtained from the same turbo-generator a low voltage direct current and a high voltage direct current. The necessity for using a separate dynamotor or separate high voltage batteries, in addition to the usual headlight generator, for supplying high voltage to various automatic train control and train stop systems and also for communication systems as are used on locomotives and trains is thus entirely obviated.

It will be understood, of course, that the invention is applicable for use in connection with any form of automatic train control and train stop system, as well as in connection with any form of communication system for use on locomotives and trains, the system herein disclosed being intended merely to illustrate one manner of applying the invention. It will be further understood that various changes may be made from time to time without, however, departing from the general spirit or principles of the invention, and it is accordingly intended to claim the invention broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated in the appended claims.

hat is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In the locomotive circuit of an automatic train control system, in combination, an amplifier, locomotive control apparatus, a direct current generator having a single commutator for delivering low voltage current to said apparatus and to the filament circuit of said amplifier, a pair of collector rings operatively associated with said single commutator of the generator, a transformer having its primary terminals connected to said rings for developing a relatively high alternating current voltage directly from said commutator and a rectifier included in the secondary circuit of the transformer for rectifying the alternating current voltage, the terminals of said secondary circuit being respectively connected to the plate reactors of the amplifier and the common wire of the locomotive circuit.

2. In the locomotive circuit of an auto matic train control system including control signalling apparatus requiring relatively low direct current voltage, in combination, an amplifier including filament and plate circuits, a direct current generator having a single commutator, a pair of brushes operatively associated with said commutator for delivering the required direct current voltage to said locomotive control signalling apparatus and to the filament circuit of said amplifier, a pair of collector rings operative- 1y associated with said single commutator of the generator for deriving alternating current therefrom, a transformer having the primary terminals thereof respectively connected to said rings, said transformer being rectifying means and the common wire of the locomotive circuit, one of said commutator brushes being also connected to said common wire.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto aflixed my signature.

CHARLES S. WILLIAMS. 

